# Geoffrey (first name)

Source: https://namelineage.com/first-name/geoffrey/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. US counts from the Social Security Administration; England and Wales counts from the Office for National Statistics; meaning and etymology from Wiktionary. Data updated 2026-11-11.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Usually given to | boys |
| Origin | not recorded |
| Meaning | “peace”, “sanctuary”, “a geat”, “a goth”, “good”, “god” |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛfɹi/, 2 syllables |
| Nicknames | Geoff, Geoffie, Jep |
| Variant spellings | Jeffrey, Jeffery, Jeoffrey, Jeoffery, Geoffery, Geffery, Geffrey |
| US babies named this | 54,534 since 1880 |
| Boys / girls in the US | 54,394 / 140 (0% girls) |
| Babies in England and Wales | 447, 1996 to 2025 |

## Etymology

From Middle English Geffrey, from an Old French aristocratic name, Geoffroi [dʒɔfreʲ] (> West Middle French Geoffrey, East Middle French Geoffroy), itself from Proto-French forms (latinized in -us) Jotfredus, Jozsfredus, Josfredus (10th century) and Jof[f]redus, Jofridus, Jaufredus, Geffredus (11th century), and ultimately of Proto-Germanic origin. The second element is *friþuz (“peace, sanctuary”). The first element may be *gautaz (“a Geat, a Goth”) [making the Proto-Germanic term *Gautafriþu, as opposed to *gōdaz (“good”) or *gudą (“god”) in Godfrey; this would also make it related to Jocelyn]. The name was introduced to England by the Normans in the 11th century. Partially displaced Old English Ceolfriþ.

## What it means

Geoffrey is grouped under god and peace.

## Popularity

The last 15 years of each series. A year is missing when too few babies were given the name for the agency to publish it: five in the US, three in England and Wales.

### United States, girls

| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6 | 7,365 |
| 1971 | 8 | 6,200 |
| 1972 | 8 | 6,141 |
| 1976 | 9 | 6,214 |
| 1978 | 5 | 10,273 |
| 1979 | 8 | 7,532 |
| 1980 | 7 | 8,435 |
| 1981 | 8 | 7,632 |
| 1982 | 10 | 6,517 |
| 1983 | 10 | 6,374 |
| 1985 | 8 | 7,806 |
| 1986 | 8 | 7,982 |
| 1987 | 10 | 6,966 |
| 1988 | 7 | 9,591 |
| 1993 | 5 | 14,258 |

### United States, boys

| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 115 | 1,432 |
| 2012 | 120 | 1,393 |
| 2013 | 104 | 1,538 |
| 2014 | 97 | 1,613 |
| 2015 | 81 | 1,832 |
| 2016 | 80 | 1,866 |
| 2017 | 76 | 1,901 |
| 2018 | 70 | 2,054 |
| 2019 | 55 | 2,435 |
| 2020 | 46 | 2,702 |
| 2021 | 40 | 3,039 |
| 2022 | 48 | 2,732 |
| 2023 | 53 | 2,522 |
| 2024 | 40 | 3,066 |
| 2025 | 31 | 3,599 |

### England and Wales, boys

| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 13 | 1,688 |
| 2012 | 15 | 1,589 |
| 2013 | 11 | 1,920 |
| 2014 | 17 | 1,421 |
| 2015 | 14 | 1,673 |
| 2016 | 21 | 1,271 |
| 2017 | 15 | 1,627 |
| 2018 | 16 | 1,533 |
| 2019 | 11 | 1,986 |
| 2020 | 13 | 1,723 |
| 2021 | 12 | 1,860 |
| 2022 | 12 | 1,879 |
| 2023 | 4 | 4,107 |
| 2024 | 9 | 2,443 |
| 2025 | 9 | 2,440 |

## In other languages

- Catalan: Jofre
- Chinese: 傑弗里, 傑佛瑞 /杰佛瑞
- Dutch: Jeffrey
- Esperanto: Ĝofredo
- French: Geoffroy
- Georgian: ჯეფრი
- German: Gottfried
- Irish: Siothrún, Gofraid
- Italian: Goffredo
- Japanese: ジェフリー
- Korean: 제프리
- Latin: Galfridus
- Polish: Godfryd
- Portuguese: Godofredo, Gofredo, Jofre
- Russian: Дже́ффри
- Scottish Gaelic: Goraidh, Goiridh
- Spanish: Godofredo
- Swedish: Gottfrid
- Ukrainian: Дже́ффрі
- Welsh: Sieffre

## People named Geoffrey

- Geoffrey Chaucer, 14th century English poet and author (1343–1400)
- Geoffrey Rush, Australian actor (born 1951)
- Geoffrey Hinton, British-Canadian computer scientist and psychologist
- Geoffrey Wilkinson, British Nobel laureate in Chemistry
- Geoffrey Kondogbia, French footballer (born 1993)
- Geoffrey Ingram Taylor, British mathematician and physicist (1886-1975)
- Geoffrey II, English noble, Duke of Brittany jure uxoris
- Geoffrey Howe, British politician (1926–2015)
- Geoffrey Lewis, American actor (1935-2015)
- Geoffrey Blake, American actor
- Geoffrey Burbidge, British astronomer (1925–2010)
- Geoffrey de Havilland, English aircraft engineer (1882–1965)

## How to read these numbers

A count is babies registered with that name in that year, not people alive now, so a name common a century ago can have a large total and few recent births.